Maute Indonesian wife waives right to inquest proceedings

Minhati Midrais, wife of the late Omarkhayyam Maute, gets a medical examination on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, shortly after her arrest in Iligan City.

ILIGAN CITY – The Indonesian wife of slain Maute leader, Omarkhayyam Maute, has waived her right to inquest proceedings here on Tuesday.

As a result, 36-year old Minhati Madrais – assisted by Wahyu Candra Irawan of the Indonesian National Police’s Liason Office at the Indonesian Consulate General – was given 10 days to prepare her counter-affidavit on the charges brought up against her by authorities.

Minhati, who was arrested here on Sunday based on Arrest, Search and Seizure Order No. 1 issued by Defense Secretary and Martial Law administrator Delfin Lorenzana, was charged at the city prosecutor’s office here for violation of Republic Act 9516 or illegal possession of explosives.

During the raid on her home here, police said they recovered four blasting caps, two detonating cords, and a time fuse.

Minhati had denied ownership of the explosive components, according to Iligan City police director Senior Supt. Leony Roy Ga.

During her supposed arraignment, which she had waived her rights for, Minhati refused to sign the first sets of the waiver document because it showed her name as “Minhati Madrais Maute aka Baby.”

“My passport only Minhati Madrais, no Maute. I don’t know Baby, I am not Baby,” she said.

When the Public Attorney’s Office reprinted the document to show only the name she had on her passport, she finally signed it.

In Asso No. 1, among those ordered arrested was an “Alias Baby.”

While she refused to sign the first document, Minhati admitted that she was legally married to Omarkhayyam. He said they were married in Egypt and they had six children – all surnamed Maute.

She told reporters that her first four children were born in Egypt while the fifth was “made in Marawi but delivered in Indonesia.” She described her sixth child, now 9 months old, “made” and born in Marawi.

When asked about her life with Omarkhayyam, she answered: “sometimes sad, but most happiness.”

When Vivien Mostrales, the PAO-Iligan head, asked her if she knew why she was arrested and if she was informed of the charges, Minhati, a native of Bekasi in West Java, replied: “Because I have expired passport.”

Minhati said it was only the prosecutor, who told her she was being charged with illegal possession of explosives as well.

Ga said Minhati will remain under the custody of the city police for now.

Asked about this, she said she was fine with it “because the police, especially the women, are friendly and caring.”

Minhati said her only one wish if she continued to be detained here, is for her children to be turned over to her parents in Indonesia.

Jec Sacan, who is in-charge of the Iligan City Social Welfare and Development’s youth holding center, said they will make further assessment as to the capacity of Minhati’s relatives to take care of the children, financially and emotionally.

But Sacan said as far as the DSWD was concerned, it wanted the best for the Maute children, four girls aged 12, 10, 7 and 6; and two boys aged two, and 9 months old.

She said they also regularly visit Minhati “to reduce her trauma.”